


Fair Folk and Demon Butlers

by Accidental_Ducky



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-29
Updated: 2015-05-25
Packaged: 2018-02-19 06:57:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2379080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Accidental_Ducky/pseuds/Accidental_Ducky
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Adrianna lived for mischief and adventure, Sebastian lived for his young master—when the two meet again after fifty years apart will it be hate at first sight or could they possibly get along better than Ciel expected? Sebby/OC</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

I had thought the summoning would be as it always was, my mother surrounded by her court complaining about how Humans were such pointless creatures or that the Demons were treading on thin ice again—I should have known better when I saw Cirro guarding the entrance to the Queen’s sitting room, his black eyes staring straight ahead and betraying nothing. Obviously the matter is important if the Queen’s consort is present. “Cirro,” I acknowledge with a slight bow of my head.

“Princess,” he nods, one hand wrapped tightly around his enchanted spear and the other hanging limply at his side, useless from a battle he fought years ago against the Christians. “Your mother is waiting for you in her bed chambers.” So, no court will be present today. I frown, studying my father’s face for any trace of what I was walking into. “You should not make Her Majesty wait.” To force my mother to wait would be a tragedy in the making. I push the curtain of moss to the side, entering the sitting room—dark except for the multi-colored Faerie lights floating high up near the ceiling. Using my exceptional eye-sight, I maneuver around the furniture to the next doorway, leading me into my mother’s private chambers.

The Queen is reclining on her bed, clothed in a beautiful red silk that accentuated how pale her skin is. ”You summoned me, Majesty.” I drop into a graceful curtsey, one fist over my heart in a show of loyalty. My mother looks up from her parchment, spectacles perched on the tip of her nose and the whites of her eyes red from the strain of reading this late.

“Yes, how long has it been since you’ve seen….Him?” I tense, squaring my jaw and moving to stare at the painting above the mantel. “I take it from your look that it’s been quite a while. And what do you have to prove that you’ve ever consummated the—“

“Please don’t,” I interrupt, holding up a hand. “If you want proof, ask the physician you kidnapped all those years ago.”

“I can’t, he left our world and turned to dust.” Of course he did; how could I think I’d be lucky this one time? “My point is that soon you’ll be taking over as the Queen and you have yet to provide an heir of your own—you haven’t even chosen a personal guard!” Scoffing, I drop onto the fur rug in front of the fireplace, enjoying the warmth. “Perhaps you could choose Kellen or Taniot?” I give her a look over my shoulder, one eyebrow raised until she ducks her head. “I’m doing this to ensure the good of our kind. The Demons are not going to be pleased when you take over and they will attempt rebellion.”

“If they try I will squash them as you did, and this time they won’t ever think of rebelling again. Maybe I’ll marry my sister to one of them.” The Queen scoffs now, rising from her bed and coming to sit beside me. “Any child I have will not be pure—it will be half Fae and half Demon, no one will want it to take the throne.”

“That’s why you will take a consort like I have. Do you think your elder brother was happy about not inheriting?”

“I killed him before he reached the proper age to inherit anything. He was a pathetic excuse for a Faerie and didn’t deserve to live.” Mother laughs, brushing some of my dark blue hair off my face and behind my ear. “Why should I have a child with _him_ if it will only receive death or the life of a Demon?”

“So the Demons stay quiet.” I keep my eyes on my bare feet, wings twitching slightly from the cold air coming in from the sitting room. There is no sunlight here to offer its warmth, we survive under the Humans radar with little more than fire to keep our young alive and warm. The Christians had very nearly wiped us out all those years ago, but they’re the reason my mother became Queen and I the young Princess. “You will leave tomorrow, do you know where he is?”

“The English countryside, he’s serving a boy.” I always know where he is, just as he always knows where I am. There is no secrecy when you’re married, though with a consort I could have a bit of it back. Kellen would give any child we had together good genes; it doesn’t hurt that he is pleasant to look at and strong. Taniot is his opposite in nearly every way—he is cold and ruthless, not particularly attractive. In short, he is too much like my father for me to want as my personal guard, let alone my consort. “With your permission, I will leave to make arrangements.”

“I already have; Kellen will be escorting you.”

**:.*:.*:.*:.*:.The Next Morning.:*.:*.:*.:*.:**

The last thing Sebastian expected when he and his master walked into the Phantomhive estate that morning was the soft sounds of a piano and a voice to accompany it. The song is not from this time period—the first sign he knew the person singing it was not Human; the voice alone was enough the make him vibrate with rage. The last time he had seen the infuriating little Sprite was fifty years ago when they’d had a violent fight that ended with her storming out and him returning to the Demon’s world.

“That is not Mey-Rin,” Ciel acknowledges, his eye narrowing in suspicion as he takes in Sebastian’s tense form. “You know who it is?”

“Unfortunately, my Lord.” The pair walks into the solar, finding a young woman sitting at the piano, her back to them and a man standing next to her, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. From what Ciel could make out, the man was tall with dark blond hair the stopped at his shoulders, a handsome face, and muscular torso that meant he trained often and hard. The woman is dressed in a pale pink dress that left little to the imagination, her alabaster skin practically glowing in the early morning sunlight, making her dark blue hair stand out all the more. “Adrianna, what are you doing here?”

The woman stops playing instantaneously, slowly yet gracefully standing and turning to face them. She’s pretty, Ciel muses, though she made him a bit uneasy. There was something not right about her that he couldn’t place; her mouth is small and looks soft, her nose is small as well—in fact, everything about her seems small except her eyes, dark red and seeming to pierce his very soul. “What kind of wife would I be if I did not see my husband every now and again?” She smirks at him, a fire dancing in her eyes that said she wasn’t happy to be here at all.

“Amusing,” Sebastian states in a bored tone,” Her Highness must be so proud to have a daughter like you.” The barb makes the woman, Adrianna, growl—her pale lips pulling back to reveal her pointed canines. What in the hell is she? Obvious she’s not human, and if she were a Vampire she wouldn’t be able to stand in the sunlight. She seemed to crave its warmth, keeping in the rays that manage to sneak in through the curtains. “Why are you truly here and why have you brought another into this house without the Young Master’s permission?”

“Mother wants proof our marriage has been completed, a child that will grow in the darkness.” She places her hand on her companion’s arm, her sharp nails digging into his white frock coat. “Kellen is here to make sure we do as we are told and to serve me.” Sebastian lets out a quiet snort, surprising Ciel to a certain extent. Adrianna tilts her head to the side, gliding over to them with a predatory smirk on her face. Ciel finds himself drawn into her gaze, a dizzying sensation washing over him as he stares into her eyes.

They were almost the same color as a ruby, though they appeared to be even harder than the stone—a place where happiness is warped beyond recognition. He supposed some would call her eyes beautiful in a twisted sense of the word, the type of eyes that have seen hell and came out all the better for it. Ciel is snapped back to reality when Adrianna falls to the ground, her porcelain skin stained red from the hard slap Sebastian had delivered. He has to blink a few times to see clearly again, red seeming to taint everything in his sight.

Sabastian kneels in front of him, shaking him slightly and drawing the magic out of his system. “Wh-what happened? What did she do to me?”

“A Faerie trick, my lord, nothing more,” Sebastian reassures him. “She was trying to put you in a trance to control you—to gauge my reaction.” Ciel’s brow furrows, one of his hands moving to rest on the side of his head. “She will not do it again, I assure you.” Sebastian’s voice is hard, his eyes watching the Fae on the ground. She no longer has an expression of loathing on her face, she just gives the butler a Cheshire grin. “Kellen, escort the Princess to an upstairs room like a good dog.” The other man curls his lip, as though it was beneath him to take orders from a Demon.

“Come now, Sebby,” Adrianna smiles, standing and clinging to his arm,” I was only playing.” Her lower lip sticks out in a pout, her breasts pressed firmly against Sebastian in a way that would have most men swooning, but Sebastian merely extracts himself from her hold, brushing imaginary lint from his suit. “Fine, but don’t expect me to just stay locked away in my room. Mother wants a grandchild and we both know what we have to do in order to grant her wish.” She winks at him, walking out of the solar, her hips swaying and the guard following closely behind.

“She’s royalty then,” Ciel inquires with a raised brow.

“Yes, my lord.” Sebastian frowns, adjusting Ciel’s coat. “She is the eldest daughter of the Faerie Queen, my wife, and the most irritating Fae that I know.”

“Does she irritate you so much that you willingly strike her?” Sebastian looks down at his master, wondering what was going on in that head of his. “That settles it then, she’ll stay with us until she has what her mother wants.” And then Sebastian was left in the room, one eye twitching and both of them glowing fuchsia in his rage.


	2. Chapter 2

I sigh, running a brush through my hair while waiting on Sebastian to come and reprimand me for my attempt of ensnaring his young master. It was only for fun, I wouldn’t have made him do something too dangerous. “You will not enter the Princess’s chambers without her permission!” Kellen’s voice rings out in the silence followed by a startled shriek and a loud crash. What is it now? Curious, I approach the door and open it just enough to peer through at the mess in the hallway. A maid is sprawled out on the floor, broken porcelain surrounding her and the carpet soaked with water—the maid is pretty with dark red-brown hair kept out of her face, pale skin, and large glasses. Kellen is glaring down at her, his brand new frock coat soaking wet and his hair dripping water.

“What is going on here,” I ask, opening the door further. The maid squeaks, struggling to get to her feet only to fall again when she gets tangled up in her dress. “Kellen, explain.” The blonde turns to face me, his crimson eyes never staying on my face for long.

“The maid tried to enter your room, Highness,” he answers. “As your guard, I could not permit that without your permission.”

“What’s your name, maid?”

“M-Mey-Rin, miss,” she says, voice trembling as she once again regains her footing, her hands nervously twisting in the expensive fabric of her dress. “I was bringing you water for you to drink, I was.” Her voice is high-pitched, making me wince. I don’t care to hear it, the sound grating on my nerves. “And Mister Sebastian told me you would want a bath.”

“And where is Sebastian right now?”

“In the Master’s chambers.” I give Mey-Rin a smile, taking her hand and leading her into my room. **What are you up to, Adrianna?** Sebastian’s voice in my head is curious and nearby, so I can assume that Phantomhive’s room is just down the hall from mine. Smirking, I pull Mey-Rin into the bathroom with me so that she can draw my water. “I really should clean up the mess, my lady.”

“Kellen will clean it up.” I can hear Kellen’s slight growl from his place in the hall. “Would you mind helping me? I have so much trouble getting out of this dress by myself.” Once she had the water running, Mey-Rin comes over and fumbles around trying to figure out how to work the zipper and clasp on the back of my dress. Soft footsteps capture my attention, Sebastian stepping into the room just as the maid manages to slide the zipper down and the soft fabric of my dress pools around my feet. I turn, catching the other woman’s wide eyes with my own, Faerie magic coming to the surface and seeping into her mind.

She gives a soft moan, leaning towards me with her eyes closed and lips parted. Sebastian quickly crosses the room and places his hands on the maid’s shoulders, making my magic retreat back into me and the maid fall into unconsciousness. “That was quite uncalled for,” he frowns, scooping her up in his arms.

“You’re no fun.” Sebastian takes Mey-Rin out of my room, depositing her in a blonde man’s arms before walking back over to me, seemingly oblivious to my naked form. “This is new for you,” I sigh, growing bored and climbing into the tub. The warm water is a welcome change, my muscles relaxing and my eyes closing on their own. “I thought you said you never made deals with children, yet here you are.”

“Here I am.” I can hear him moving around the spacious bathroom, the rustle of clothing catching my attention. I reopen my eyes, watching as Sebastian kneeled beside the tub, his gloves gone and his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. “The young master is a special case; I’m sure you noticed his soul.” I moan as his skilled fingers knead the tense muscles of my shoulders.

“Yes, it did look unusually bright for a human.” I shrug, relaxing under my husband’s ministrations. “He’s a special one, that human.” My voice is naught but a whisper yet my husband hears me all the same. “When you take his soul, I want to keep the flicker of life before it escapes his eyes—it would look magnificent in my home.”

“Very well, Adrianna.”

“Does he know your true name as yet?”

“He does not and I would very much like to keep it that way.” I nod, staring up at the unadorned ceiling, summoning a few Faerie lights in shades of light blue and purple to brighten the room. “You Fair Folk couldn’t go a day without magic, could you?”

“Mm, I’m much too used to it to give it up.” I chuckle darkly, crimson eyes flashing. “It’s like a sweet seduction, continuing to draw me in and gnawing at me until I release it from my body. My beautiful, deadly drug of choice.” One of Sebastian’s hands moves from my shoulder, up my neck, to my chin. He forces my head back gently, looking down at me with all the curiosity he could muster after such a tiring day. “Majesty wants a Halfling grandchild before I take over to appease your kind.”

“So I gathered, she sent me a message before you arrived in case you tried to get out of it.” Of course she had, not even Faeries trust their own kind. “I did not expect Kellen to arrive with you.” My sensitive hearing is able to pick out the other Fae’s derisive snort from all the other sounds of the manor. “You must be tired after your journey, perhaps we could start on that particular responsibility tomorrow?”

“No,” I sigh,” let’s just get it over with.” And so I spent the rest of the night with the butler known as Sebastian, though neither of us quite made it to the bed.

**:.*:.*:.*:.*:.The Next Morning.:*.:*.:*.:*.:**

I sigh, stretching my arms over my head as the early morning sunlight filters through the curtains. It can’t be any later than six-thirty as the pinks and oranges are just beginning to color the sky and I’m finding it difficult to crawl out of bed to get dressed. I’d somehow ended up in bed at some point during the activities last night, the large crack in the headboard proving as much.

Groaning, I use my magic to dress—the pale green dress I decide on having off the shoulder sleeves, a tight bodice, and a flowing skirt. My hair is put in a loose bun, bits of hair hanging down and some small vines worked through it to add a nice touch of color. Satisfied, I walk out of my room towards the dining room for breakfast, Kellen following after me like a shadow.

Ciel sits at the head of the long table, already sipping his morning cup of tea—Earl Gray from what I can tell. He looks up as I enter, his uncovered blue eye taking in every minute detail with a faint blush coloring his pale cheeks. He’s obviously a virgin, not exactly rare in this time period though. I smile, seating myself at his left seconds before Sebastian appears and sets a plate of food before his master and me, my cup of tea coming next. “I trust you slept well last night, Highness,” he inquires, taking another sip and returning his gaze to the papers stacked on the table.

“Hmm, yes, Sebastian made sure of that.” The boy nods, moving the paper on the top of the stack to the bottom and beginning to read the next one. I notice he doesn’t eat much, mainly picks at anything that isn’t sweet. “Please, my lord, as I’ll be staying here for quite some time, I insist on you calling me Adrianna. I, of course, will call you Ciel.”

“That is not entirely proper.” I lean forward with a mischievous grin, elbows on the table.

“I’ve never been one for propriety, Ciel. You’ll learn that soon enough.” The eleven year old frowns, blue clashing with crimson in a battle of wills to see who would back down first. This will be most interesting indeed.


	3. Chapter 3

The next few months seem to pass in a blur, the season changing from partly sunny with a bit of cold to completely cold with a bit of rain and snow. It was on one particularly stormy night that I find myself waking with a start, unsure at first what had woke me up or where I was. Then I heard it again, the small noise of fright every time there was a loud clap of thunder—the whimper of a child. My first thought is that the storm was scaring my little sister and that I needed to go comfort her, but my surroundings quickly sank in and I realized the child I was hearing was in fact Ciel Phantomhive.

Knowing Sebastian was not one to comfort, I get out of bed and walk to the Earl’s chambers down the hall. “Princess,” Kellen calls out to me. I hold up a hand, his signal to stay put and leave me the hell alone. I find Sebastian sitting on his master’s bed, a frown marring his handsome features. I see why when I join him; Ciel is thrashing about, calling out for his lost parents and dog. I have to hold back a snigger when I found out that Sebastian was named after the prized pet.

“Can you help him, Adrianna,” Sebastian asks in his sinfully smooth voice. “I cannot seem to wake him and I do not think he would welcome being struck.”

“No,” I murmur,” I don’t suppose he would.” I perch in the edge of the bed, shooing the demon out so that Ciel could maintain some of his dignity. In one of the rare moments when he wasn’t moving too much, I wrap an arm around his shoulders and pull him close to my body, rocking him gently and humming a soft melody until his thrashing and screaming become nothing more than shaking and whimpers.

“What….” He lets out a gasp, wide eyes looking up at me. “Adrianna, you shouldn’t—ah, this isn’t proper.”

“Shh, my little lord, you should just relax.” Ciel does just that, though only fractionally.

“Would….Would you sing to me?” I know it’s a blow to his ego to ask me that, he does not like to show that he is still just a child. “M-my mother would always….” He stops talking as I move so that we are lying on the spacious bed, Ciel’s head resting on my chest so that he could hear the rapid beating of my heart and my arms holding him gently. He relaxes after a second, one of his arms moving to wrap around my waist as though to make sure I really am here.

“ _Little child, be not afraid_ ,” I sing softly,” _the rain pounds harsh against the glass like an unwanted stranger. There is no danger, I am here tonight_.” Slowly his breathing begins to slow back to normal, but the grip he has on my waist does not loosen. “ _Little child, be not afraid, though thunder explodes and lightening flash illuminates your tearstained face—I am here tonight_.” By now his grip is beginning to loosen. “ _And someday you’ll know that nature is so. This same rain that draws you near me falls on rivers and lands, and forests and sands. Makes the beautiful world that you see in the morning_ ….” I trail off, nearly certain he was asleep.

“Keep, going.” His voice is barely audible even to my ears, but the commanding tone is still present.

“ _Little child, be not afraid; the storm clouds mask your beloved moon and its candlelight beams still keep pleasant dreams—I am here tonight. Little child, be not afraid—the wind makes creatures of our trees and the branches to hands. They’re not real, understand, and I am here tonight. And someday you’ll know that nature is so. This same rain that draws you near me falls on rivers and lands, and forests and sands. Makes the beautiful world that you see in the morning. For you know, once even I was a little child and I was afraid, but a gentle someone always came to dry all my tears. Trade sweet sleep the fears and to give a kiss goodnight_.”

His breathing has evened out and just to make sure he was sound asleep, I use a bit of magic to send him deeper to a dreamless sleep. With a smile, I slowly move out from under him and pull the blankets up to his chin, placing a light kiss on his forehead to protect him from the nightmares that plague him. Sebastian waits for me in the hall, his dark red eyes dancing with amusement. “So you do possess a mothering nature,” he teases,” how very reassuring.”

“Raisa’s nightmares are much more violent than the little lord’s,” I shrug, referring to my little sister.

“Yes, her time as a captive certainly left its mark.” I nod sadly, the younger Fae had barely celebrated her fiftieth birthday when another war had started between the angels and the Faeries and she was the one kidnapped.

“Enough sad reminders, I’m returning to bed.” I pause when I reach my door, gripping the jamb with one hand and looking at my husband over my shoulder. “Wake me if Ciel has another nightmare.” Sebastian bows his head, one hand resting on his unbeating heart and a smirk settling on his lips.

“Yes, Highness.”

BREAK

With the holiday season fast approaching, the Phantomhive estate was in a state of confusion. It was Ciel’s first Christmas home since he became Earl, his twelfth birthday passing us by with only a few minor explosions and a few burnt hors d'oeuvres courtesy of the new chef, Baldroy. “Honestly, why is it you hate the Christmas season so much,” I ask one dreary December afternoon. The sleet is coming down too hard for us to go outside and I know for a fact that Sebastian was hiding his kitten in his room.

“I would think a Faerie would hate the season more than I,” Ciel sighs, moving his chess piece to its new spot and waiting for Sebastian to do the same, frowning when the demon takes another of his knights. “Aren’t your kind at war with the Christians?”

“Mm, I have no qualms with God or His son, it’s their followers I have a problem with.” Ciel hums in response, concentrating on the board with his brows knitted together. I sigh, wrapping my arms around my knees and looking out the window in longing. There are bits of snow falling, the heavy gray clouds in the sky blocking any light that tried to come through. “Could I decorate?”

“No.”

“Not even a small bit?”

“If you decorate I will have you thrown out quicker than Baldroy can catch the kitchen on fire.” Fine then, I’ll find something else to occupy my time. Almost unconsciously, I rest my hand on my swollen belly, the half-demon inside me growing and developing at a faster rate than any human fetus would. I’m barely three months pregnant and yet could go into labor at any given second. Once the baby was born, it would spend three weeks with me and then be sent to Hell to be trained by one of Sebastian’s clan until Sebastian himself returns.

“The child is fine,” Sebastian tells me in a bored manner, moving one of his pieces and making the Earl scowl. It’s clear the Earl didn’t like to lose at games, but he had specifically ordered Sebastian not to take it easy on him in chess. So far, the demon’s won the last four consecutive games and the Earl has won one—that was only due to the fact I had faked a contraction and made half of Sebastian’s attention be diverted to me. I suspect he knew all along, but had decided to give his master a break.

With nothing else to do, I move over to the instruments and pick up the violin, beginning to play the Phantom of the Opera Medley as well as I can without backup on the keyboard, guitar, and drums. Time travel is nice until you’re stuck in the past with no way to watch new episodes of the Walking Dead or a full battery on your iPod. I close my eyes, trying to play by ear and hoping I didn’t get too much wrong in the long run. The medley lasts for about five minutes and when I’m finished I set the instrument down and move back to my perch on the window seat.

“Not bad,” Ciel comments in a tone that suggests otherwise,” but you’re better off playing the piano.”

“My lady,” Kellen says, moving from his spot beside the double doors of the music room,” it is time for your afternoon rest.” I nod, allowing him to pick me up and carry my down the hall to my room. I don’t notice the subtle use of his magic until I’m already on the verge of sleep, unable to call out for help before the darkness closes in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lyrics are from Lullaby for a Stormy Night. I don’t own them in any way, shape, or form.


	4. Chapter 4

Sebastian’s head snaps up, the house losing the now familiar presence of Faerie magic entirely. He notices Ciel shiver at the exact moment the trace leaves, leaving him slightly dumbfounded. “What was that,” the boys asks,” a draft?”

“No, Kellen and Adrianna have just left the grounds,” the demon answers, using his tie to his wife to try and find them, but finding himself blocked. His wife wouldn’t be able to block him out, but someone untainted by a demon would have no trouble—someone like Kellen. “Not only that, I believe she’s been kidnapped.” Ciel jumps up, his chair toppling over and a determined set to his jaw.

“Then we’ll get her back.”

“It is not so simple, I’m afraid. Kellen is using his magic to keep me from contacting her, I have no idea how to find our Sprite.” And she could have that child at any second, a child that would be held in high esteem in the demon world and therefore worth quite a lot. It makes sense about why Kellen would wait this long to strike, Adrianna’s at her weakest and he could easily overpower her and keep her under control until the child is birthed.

“Well then, it’s a good thing a friend owes me a favor. Get my coat and hat, tell Bard to ready the coach.”

“Yes, my young lord.” He bows, doing everything his master ordered, the snappish bite to his voice making the other servants know it would be unwise to disobey in the slightest. He secures the coat around his master’s shoulders, tugging the gloves on and replacing the family rings before settling the top hat on his head and following Ciel out into the horrible weather.

Baldroy gives them a sharp bow, disappearing into the house again when Sebastian takes control of the coach and horses. The weather has no effect on the demon, he was numb to it as he drove as quickly as he could into London towards the one man—if he could be labeled as such—that might possible have a clue where Adrianna was being held. If the Undertaker didn’t know, then no one did.

**Adrianna**

I groan, clutching at my head in pain as I open my eyes. I’m lying on a simple cot with scratchy blankets, the bars that make up the cell I’m in are iron and so I have no real hope of escaping. What happened? Wincing, I sit up as well as I am able, feeling the baby moving and pressing on my bladder. “Hello,” I call out, voice hoarse from sleep.

“Good morning, Princess.” Kellen steps into the light provided by the candles scattered around the room, smirking and watching me through the bars. “I do hope you slept well, your last days should be spent in relative comfort.” Last days—is this bastard planning to kill me? “No need to panic, as soon as I have that creature growing inside you, I’ll make your death quick, you deserve that much.”

“When my husband gets here—“

“Your husband has no clue where you are, my darling. You’ve been asleep for three days and there’s been no way for him to contact you.” The baby kicks hard, making me cry out a little. It won’t be too much longer until the baby comes, so what is he planning to do with it? “I’ll have some food brought in, you must be starving and I need your little monster healthy if I want to make any money.”

So that’s it, he’ll sell the baby to a demon buyer—demons cannot have children with their own kind, which leads to them stealing human babies or buying half-Fae’s on the black market. Kellen must be one of the criminals that sneaks the children out of the nursery and hides them until the panic dies down, then sells them afterwards to the highest bidder. I’ll see him killed if I manage to get out of this alive. “You bastard,” I shout, making the mistake of grabbing one of the bars of my cell to help me up. The iron burns my hand, making me fall back on the bed and scream until my pale skin knits back together.

He tsks at me, an infuriating grin on his face. “See you in a few days, Princess.” He holds up a hand in goodbye, walking out of the room and slamming the heavy iron door shut behind him, the gloves he wears protecting him from the metal’s affects. I scream again, throwing the nearest thing at the bars in anger. The porcelain chamber pot explodes on contact, shards going everywhere.

**Sebastian**

The demon frowns as he runs, adjusting Ciel into an easier position to hold. The house the Undertaker had pointed them to is supposed to be abandoned until the owner is buried and his son takes control, it would be the perfect place to hide in until the child is born. “You’re sure this is the way,” Ciel inquires, looking up at his butler.

“Of course, young master,” he answers, moving quicker than any human eye could detect. It has been three days since she and Kellen disappeared, his running still took time to get where they were going—their destination being nowhere near London and the rain slowing him further. He had to keep his young master warm, not wanting to deal with him sick when all this was finished.

It seemed luck was on their side as the house came into view, Sebastian stopping at the bottom of the hill it sat on. With the rain and lightning as a background, the dark house could pass as one of the haunted houses that Adrianna often read about. “Put me down and find a way inside that will keep the residents from knowing we’re here. When you do, come back for me; I want to be there when the people responsible are dealt with.”

“Yes, my lord.” He moves silently past the sentries posted at the front gate, neither of the humans noticing him as he runs towards the back of the house. This close to her, he had a sense of where she was that not even Kellen could cut completely off. As he reached a window that leads to the basement, her thoughts begin pouring in. **Mal….Kellen responsible….Baby…Iron**.

They were jumbled, but he has a pretty good idea of her meaning. He wipes at the window with the sleeve of his tailcoat, peering through the window and finding an iron cage set in the center of the spacious room. Adrianna is lying on a cot in the cage, her face ashen and slick with sweat as she struggles through another contraction. She was careful not to make too much noise, obviously not wanting the other Faerie to know she was going into labor.

Shaking in rage, he runs back to where his master was waiting for him, the boy shivering from the cold. “Did you find her?”

“Yes, my lord.” He picks Ciel up again, running once more to the basement window. With careful movements, he slowly opens the window enough for Ciel to jump through, following soon after and landing gracefully on his feet. “Take care not to raise your voice above a whisper, master.” Ciel gives a nod, moving to stand in front of the cage and looking for the key to unlock it.

“He has the key,” Adrianna hisses, her hands fisting in the thin blanket as another contraction hits. Two minutes apart—she would be having the baby here whether she likes it or not. When it passes, she takes a deep breath, her bottom lip trembling as she fights back tears. “He’ll be down again in ten seconds, the key is in his breast pocket. True to her word, Kellen steps into the room precisely ten seconds later, an infuriating grin on his face.

“Fantastic,” he says loudly,” I’ve two new toys to play with!”

“Sebastian, this is an order,” Ciel shouts, ripping away his eye patch and revealing the contract seal. “Bring me the key!”

“Yes, my young lord,” Sebastian nods obediently, lunging forward and tackling Kellen against a wall. The Faerie laughs, pushing Sebastian back with surprising strength and drawing his sword. It was not yet enchanted as he was not an official guard and for that, Sebastian thanked whatever gods were listening.

“Come now, Sebastian,” Kellen smirks. “Surely a Prince such as yourself is not so weak as to be pushed around by little old me?” The demon growls, his eyes changing to fuchsia and the black pupils changing to slits. A black aura surrounds him and he can see the fear beginning to grow in the young Fae’s eyes.

“I would not dream of it.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Sebastian**

Sebastian pins Kellen to the ground, ripping the key out of his front pocket and tossing it over his shoulder for Ciel to use. If the boy could manage to pull the cot out of the cage with Adrianna on it, the Princess could take care of this little worm. He hears Adrianna let out another scream; the sound causes him to falter and that allows Kellen to deliver a normally fatal blow to the demon's middle. He gasps, blood spilling out of his mouth as he stares at the Faerie with wide eyes. Faerie weapons were nearly as strong as Reaper scythes and offered severe pain to the person that gets wounded by them. He can already feel the flesh knitting back together slowly, his breaths shallow and gasping. Kellen grins at him, raising the sword high over his head to deliver the final blow.

"Kellen Dryweather," a shaky, feminine voice shouts, the commanding tone it holds driving the Fae to his knees. The sword clatters to the ground out of either man's reach, its owner's blood-colored eyes glazing over. "You are charged with the kidnapping and selling of no less than twenty-three newborn children and the premeditated act of adding a child of royal blood to those numbers. You were caught in the process of the execution of the Prince, Sebastian Michaelis. As the residing royal in this realm, I hereby sentence you to death."

Sebastian watches as the spark of life in Kellen's eyes transform into a soft light that settles into Adrianna's outstretched hand before dimming even further. "Lie back," Ciel instructs, one of his arms helping to support the weakened Faerie. She does so, releasing a shaky breath.

"I, Adrianna Eveningfall, condemn this life's light to the depths where it shall forever be swallowed in darkness." The light flickers out of existence and Adrianna’s arm drops to the bed. Sebastian stays standing long enough to join his wife, collapsing on the cot by her feet. With shaking hands, he lifts the hem of her dress and is able to spot the top portion of his child's head.

"You're nearly finished here, Adrianna," he informs her. She gives a few more pushes, a new scream joining hers a few moments later. He settles the child in his arms, the cleaning and cord-cutting taken care of by Adrianna's magic before she even sees it. "A girl." His wife gives an exhausted sigh, settling back on the cot with a nod.

“We’ll stay here tonight and let Adrianna rest,” Ciel declares. “Tomorrow we will return to the manor and announce your child’s birth to the servants.” The only answer he receives from Adrianna is a light snore, her mouth hanging open. Ciel looks down at the newborn, the child having stopped crying a few seconds ago and was now looking around with dark pink eyes. “Your mother sounds like a dying cat.” The child giggles at him and Sebastian notices the corners of his lord’s lips curl up in a hint of a smile. “Well, at least you agree with me.”

The next morning finds them departing the estate in a stolen coach, the child dozing in Adrianna’s arms. “What shall you name her,” Ciel wonders, watching the Faerie sitting across from him. She smiles softly, patting down the small tuft of hair that the baby had.

“I was thinking Makenna. She will take Sebastian’s surname and his titles since she cannot claim any of mine and she will need a strong name.” Ciel nods, shivering a little in the cold. Snow had started to fall harder sometime during the night and was now sticking to the ground—everything covered in the fine white powder. It hurt his eyes to look out the small windows set into either door, so he settled with watching Adrianna and the strange baby.

She’s small even for a newborn with pale skin and eyes that seem a perfect balance between crimson and fuchsia, creating a dark pink—the pupils are narrow like Sebastian’s when he shows hints of his true form. The black hair she has is sparse, but soft. She would be a beautiful creature when she was grown. “Is she considered illegitimate since she is not a full-blooded Fae?”

“She is in my realm, but not in Sebastian’s. She will be treated like royalty there.”

**TWO WEEKS LATER—CHRISTMAS EVE**

Sebastian liked to think he could see bad situations coming from a mile away; for instance, he knew when he needed to remove his young master from places, he knew when people were not to be trusted, but this situation….Well, he couldn't have seen it coming had he tried. The front hall of the Phantomhive manor was decorated in the garish Christmas colors of silver, red, and green with Faerie lights twinkling overhead and changing colors from time to time.

Ciel looks around with his mouth hanging open and the uncovered eye twitching slightly. "What," he says in a cold tone," the hell has she done this time?" There was no question in Sebastian's mind whom his master was speaking of. Adrianna was behind this disaster and the both of them knew it. Ciel's hands clench into fists at his sides as he moves further into the house towards the music room where a soft melody was being played on the piano.

He pushes the doors open for his master, head bowed in respect as the boy enters the room ahead of him. The look of anger on Ciel's face changes to one of shock when he sees Adrianna's favorite room in whole. There's a large Christmas tree in the center of the room, more Faerie lights draped around it with various ornaments and tinsel; the curtains are thrown back to reveal a magnificent view of the gardens blanketed with pristine white snow.

Even Adrianna was dressed to celebrate, wearing a dark crimson gown, the creamy flesh of her shoulders bared and the silk clinging to her form in all the right places to draw a man's—and demon's—gaze straight to her. Her dark cobalt hair hangs loose down her back in its natural soft curls. "Welcome home, my lord," she says in a soft voice, not wanting to break the serenity of the room. The soft melody she plays is a familiar one to even the demon and he can't help but to be drawn in by its soothing notes. "I do hope the decorations are to your liking?"

"You know they are not." The Fae laughs, stopping her playing to stand and face the men. Her crimson eyes clash with Ciel's blue one in a battle of wills and Sebastian could feel the subtle tug of her Faerie magic as it was repelled. After a moment, his wife pokes her lower lip out in a pout, crossing her arms and sitting back on the piano bench. "You can have this room decorated, but _only_ this room."

"Well then, I would suggest you call off your loyal servants as they are in the process of decorating your bedroom at the moment." Ciel closes his eye with a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"I will take care of it immediately," Sebastian assures him, exiting the room quickly and moving up the stairs to his master's room where Mey-Rin and Bard are wrapping the bed posts with garlands. "That's quite enough, you two." The servants start at his silent approach, looking at him with owlish eyes. "Take it all down and put it back where you found it, you know the master does not celebrate this holiday."

"Yes, Mister Sebastian," they both grumble. Satisfied they would do as they were told, he leaves them to it and moves back to his master's side with speed no human could detect. Adrianna has Ciel standing beside the piano, his eye closed as he focuses on playing the violin—a few mistakes escape, but he is only human. Adrianna sits on the bench, entranced as the boy plays a soft, sweet melody—an original composition of Sebastian's—and the moonlight shines through one of the windows. Combined with the glow from the Faerie lights, the room seemed to be shades of blue streaked through with reds and greens with the occasional gold.

The rest of the night is spent sitting around the Christmas tree in the center of the room, Adrianna snuggled comfortably between Ciel and Baldroy. The cook is careful to keep his hands to himself upon noticing the glare Sebastian sends his way over the young master's head. "I've something for everyone," Adrianna announces at exactly midnight, Christmas morning. The navy-haired woman leans forward from her spot on the floor to pull an armful of presents forward.

Baldroy is handed a small box wrapped in orange paper, Mey-Rin a long box wrapped in pink paper, Finnian a large box wrapped in green paper, and Tanaka a tiny box wrapped in silver paper. Hastily, the servants tear into the presents, each finding something they loved within—Bard gaining a new pair of goggles, Mey-Rin a rifle, Finnian a small statue of a puppy, and Tanaka a brand new cup for his tea. "Thank you, my lady," the four chorus together with matching grins.

"You're quite welcome. And now for our little lord." Ciel takes a box wrapped in dark blue paper from the Faerie, appearing unsure as to whether or not to open it. "Go on, Ciel, it won't bite." The boy carefully removes the paper, taking special care not to rip it or appear too eager. What he finds inside has him smiling. "Go on, show everyone your present."

He holds up a new eye patch, this one exactly like the one he had on apart from one small detail, this one had his name sewn into it in gold and silver thread. "I've something for you as well, my lady." He clears his throat awkwardly, holding out a hand towards Sebastian and wiggling his fingers impatiently. The demon places a small velvet box in his hand, watching his lord hand it to Adrianna. His wife opens the box, eyes going wide and her mouth coming open. She pulls out a diamond necklace, the diamonds crafted to look like snowflakes. "Every woman should have diamonds."

"Thank you, little lord." She pulls the human into a tight hug, surprising him and Sebastian both.

Later that night as Sebastian was just finishing up cleaning the kitchen, Adrianna walks in. Sebastian barely gives her a passing glance, moving to put the rag he'd used in the laundry pile. "You didn't think I forgot you, did you," she asks, her tone suggesting mischief. He turns to face his wife, taking in her attire with a smirk. She wore a black silk robe, a small black ribbon tied around her slender throat. "Come open your present, Sebby."

And for the first time since he was human, Sebastian enjoyed a Christmas morning.

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

Sebastian had thought it would be a fairly normal day at the Phantomhive estate since Makenna was now being raised by his demon second-in-command in hell—he would tell the other servants what to do, then go through each room to clean up the messes they made, the young master would stay in his office for the most part of the day and tend to paperwork, and his wife would be out in the gardens or sequestered away in her rooms.

She had been that way for two weeks now, trying to destroy any connection she felt with Makenna so she could move on with her life. It was reasonable, Sebastian himself already felt a deep bond with the infant and so could understand the trouble Adrianna was having.

As he was walking down the hall with an armful of freshly laundered clothing to put away in his master’s chambers, he had a brief warning to move out of the way before Adrianna slid down the past him, singing at the top of her lungs. It wouldn’t have been much of a problem had she been dressed appropriately, but as it was, she looked insane. Her dark blue hair was hanging freely down her back and she was dressed in only a button-up that was much too big on her and a pair of socks that let her slide on the wood floor easier.

“ _What I need is a good defense_ ,” she sings into her hairbrush,” _cause I’m feeling like a criminal! And I need to be redeemed to the one I’ve sinned against because he’s all I’ve ever knew of love!_ ” She continues to slide everywhere, even going so far as to slide down the bannister and do a flip off of it when she reaches the end. She lands on her feet gracefully and, without pause, continues moving through the house. “ _Let me know the way before there’s hell to pay, give me room to lay the law or_ _let me go!_ ”

Her voice fades slightly the farther she is away from him, but Sebastian could still hear pieces of the strange song. “What was that,” Ciel asks, emerging from his office with an intrigued expression.

“I believe my wife has returned to her normal self,” Sebastian says matter-of-factly. “Shall I inform her we have a guest coming?”

“No, let her find out for herself when he arrives.”

“Yes, my lord.” Sebastian bows at the waist, straightening up again when Ciel disappears back into his study. He couldn’t help but wonder how Adrianna would react if the guest came and she was still dressed like a harlot. He smirks a little, making his way into his master’s rooms and putting the clothing away neatly.

“Mister Sebastiaaan!” Mey-Rin’s drawn out scream makes the demon hang his head in annoyance. What’s happened _now_? The clumsy maid trips her way into the master’s room, her cheeks a dark red from running and embarrassment. “I think Miss Adrianna’s gone crazy, yes I do!” He lets out a brief chuckle, smirking a little when he notices the human shiver.

“Not to worry, Mey-Rin, she’s just back to her normal self.” The maid looks over her shoulder skeptically, adjusting her glasses in the nervous manner he’s come to associate with the young woman. “I will have a talk with her momentarily. You should go tidy her room, I’m sure it needs it.”

“Yes, Mister Sebastian.” She gives him a quick nod and runs off down the hall. Sebastian sighs, straightening his master’s room with a smirk on his lips. The loud singing has been replaced by the piano, a soft song that Adrianna had picked up when they were still living together. Greensleeves, he recalls, one of her favorites. The tune calms even him as he goes about his daily chores, bringing tea to his lord. _Music soothes the savage beast indeed_.

“Tell Adrianna I wish to see her,” Ciel commands quietly, sipping on his tea and staring out the window in thought.

“Yes, my lord.” **Come to the master’s study, Adrianna**. The playing stops soon after he sent the thought to her and he can hear her soft footsteps as she makes her way up the stairs, stopping in her room long enough to dress, and then appearing in the doorway to the study. “She is here, Master.” Ciel turns, surprised to see Adrianna dressed appropriately this time in a gown of pale green.

“You asked to see me, little lord?” She smiles, moving to sit on the edge of Ciel’s desk.

“Yes,” Ciel nods, pulling a small velvet box out of one of the desk drawers and setting it down beside Adrianna. “I want you to wear that.” Adrianna’s brow creases when she opens the box, pulling out a more feminine version of the ring Ciel always wears on his thumb. The silver band is delicate and the dark blue diamond is oval shaped, but it was nearly identical to Ciel’s. “It was made in case I was born a girl, my parents saved it in case they had another child.” He seems reluctant to discuss his parents with the Faerie. “I want you to have it as a sign of my trust.”

“Should this not go to a fiancée?”

“No, I have a different ring put aside for that, one more suited to the wife of a Phantomhive. This is for someone I am close to in a non-romantic situation.” The smile Adrianna gives him is one of the rare ones, one meant to offer comfort. She slides the ring onto her right ring-finger, holding her hand out to admire it.

“I have something for you as well.” Adrianna holds her hand so that the palm is facing up, a bracelet appearing there seconds afterwards. Sebastian recognizes it as the one her father wore before his injury, it was braided leather with silver X’s set into it at even intervals. “My father told me to give it to the person I thought worthy of it, a fighter that would give everything for his cause. I’m sure he meant for it to go to my child or even Sebby, but I think you are deserving of it.”

Ciel looks over at Sebastian to gauge his reaction, taking the bracelet at his butler’s encouraging nod. Sebastian didn’t care for Faerie jewelry and would rather his master have it. At least this way the Faerie magic would have no effect on him now. “Thank you, Highness.” Adrianna waves off his thanks, her mischievous grin making a reappearance.

“You’re quite welcome, little lord.” Sebastian suppresses a smile, having never seen either of his companions in a soft moment such as this. It was a nice reprieve and he knew his wife was growing close to his master. That could be problematic when the time comes to take Ciel’s soul, but he was certain that Adrianna would step aside so he could finish his contract. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going back to my little corner of the estate.”

She winks at Sebastian on her way out and the demon finds his eyes firmly fixed on her swaying hips. That Faerie will be the death of him. “You can leave now, Sebastian.” Ciel waves him off, going back to the window and staring outside. It was nice again, green leaves and grass coming back to life as all traces of winter are washed away. Sebastian bows, walking out of the room and going about his chores.

**Adrianna**

I stare down at the ring on my finger, admiring the way the diamond seemed to glow in the sunlight spilling into the music room through the picture windows. Blue diamonds are rare, so I wonder how the Phantomhive family was able to procure two of them. The ring could easily be mistaken for a wedding ring, something Ciel certainly doesn’t need, but the rare jewel interests me and he gave it to me to show his trust.

“He’s still only a child,” I murmur to myself, sitting at the piano and beginning to play to keep my mind on track. “A child who was desperate enough to make a deal with a devil—to trade his soul away for vengeance.” I shake my head, the melody growing sad the more I think on what Ciel has lost and will lose in the end. With my eyes closed, I think back to a night a few weeks ago, remembering how Ciel has tried to comfort Makenna until Sebastian and I could get to her.

He appeared so peaceful as he looked down at the child in his arms, like he longed for Makenna’s innocence—a child’s innocence that is lost to him now. 


	7. Chapter 7

I open my eyes when Ciel and a tall man I do not know walk in, Ciel's companion giving me a strange look. "Adrianna, this is Mister Damiano, he will be joining us for dinner tonight; Mister Damiano, this is Princess Adrianna Eveningfall." I give the man a small smile, looking him over and finding nothing special about him. His soul is fairly dark, but no darker than any other adult male's. His beard and mustache combination joins with his hair—a light brown that matches his eyes.

"Your Highness." Mister Damiano bows deeply, straightening after placing a light kiss on my knuckles. "Might I ask where you're from?" He's Italian, his accent thick and hard to understand.

"You may not," I answer coldly, turning my back to him and beginning to play again. I hear Ciel chuckle, setting up a board game and explaining the rules to Mister Damiano. Very few humans piqued my interest enough that I actually paid attention to them and so far the Phantomhive estate held most of them. Damiano continues trying to convince Ciel to invest more money while they play, obviously lying about what the money would go to if his heart rate was anything to go by.

Ciel understands immediately, interrupting at moments to explain more of the game and get the man to shut up for a brief moment. The door opens again a few minutes later, Sebastian stepping inside and looking very pleased with himself. "Pardon the interruption, but dinner is served," he informs us with a kind smile.

"Oh," Damiano smiles," dinning out in that exquisite stone garden! Shall we go, my lord, your highness?" Stone garden? What on earth is this wackadoo talking about? I stand, waiting for the two humans to do the same.

"Very well, we'll finish our game later."

"Oh, is there any real need to finish it? It's obvious I'm going to lose."

"That's the reason he wants to finish," I say, sending Ciel a smile. "The little lord can't stand losing and does so as little as possible." Ciel sends a smile back, getting up and walking to the door, but stopping halfway there when he hears Damiano call his behavior childish. How very stupid of the man, the last thing you should do when conning someone is call them a child.

"I-I mean, sometimes it takes a child's eyes to see what's really important," he corrects quickly. "It's a true gift. Maybe that's what made Phantomhive the nation's foremost toy maker." He stands with a blush and fake smile. "It certainly impresses me!"

"What impresses me is that Ciel has yet to throw the man out," I whisper to my husband quietly enough that no human ears could pick it up. Sebastian doesn't answer, content to send glares at the Italian man to make him uncomfortable. He would not be leaving this property in one piece if he leaves it at all.

"Adrianna, I trust you are feeling better," Sebastian asks in the same quiet tone I used. I nod in answer, letting him lead the way to what used to be a beautifully lush garden but is now gravel and small, specifically placed, boulders. "On tonight's menu is a dish of finely sliced raw beef donburi curtesy of our chef, Baldroy. I stare down at the bowl of layered raw meat in front of me, resisting the urge to drop my head on the table. Obviously Baldroy had gotten to the food before Sebastian had a chance and now we were paying the price of it. I grab my water glass instead of chancing the food, taking a delicate sip as expected of proper ladies in this era. How I'd love to down the entire glass like a shot, but people watch my every move in this aristocratic setting. Over Damiano's head, Sebastian is sending me a warning look that says to expect severe consequences should I behave in an embarrassing manner.

"A pile of raw beef," Damiano says in slight shock as he stares down at his bowl," and this is dinner?"

"Yes, but surely you have heard of it?" I can see the minute Sebastian slips into his overly dramatic mindset, his main mission at the moment to ensure Damiano is so impressed with the dinner, that he feels the fool for questioning Sebastian in the first place. "This, good sir, is a traditional Japanese delicacy, a dish offered as a sign of gratitude to someone who has accomplished important work. That, sir, is the wonder of donburi!" Seb slips back into his calm facade while Damiano is left in a state of confusion and guilt at having questioned anything tonight. "This is a token from our master to show his thanks for all your hard work on his behalf. He wanted you to know that it's much appreciated." I poke at the layered beef in my own bowl, trying to remember if Fae's could get Mad Cow Disease. Once recovered, Damiano throws his hands in the air with a huge grin.

"Excellent! What an inspired idea! The legendary Phantomhive hospitality in action." More like Sebastian's quick thinking and Ciel's less than impressed demeanor. The little lord eats quietly at his end of the table, playing his role well for most of tonight to be improvised. I take a small bite of the meat, dutifully chewing and swallowing without allowing my grimace to be too clear. I much prefer leafy greens and vegetables to meat, but I suppose I'll have to make due and hope I can sneak some food out of the kitchens later tonight.

"The vintage we are pouring tonight was selected to compliment the flavor of soy sauce." He turns to the maid next to him with a polite smile. "Mey-Rin." The maid doesn't move, still clutching the handle of the cart tightly. "Now, Mey-Rin." I stare down at my empty wine glass, wanting the booze to be a continuous flow, but it seems I may have to make do with water since Mey-Rin still hasn't budged. Ciel and I share a bored look while Sebastian bends down to whisper to the maid. She may be the best sniper in London, but she makes for a piss poor maid. I watch, chewing absently on another tiny bite, as Mey-Rin stumbles over to the table, swaying on her feet as though she couldn't quite see what was in front of her face. With shaking hands, she tilts the decanter of wine over Damiano's glass, the burgundy liquid just barely missing the glass and hitting the impeccably white tablecloth instead.

Thankfully, Damiano has the bowl up close to his mouth, not paying attention to the maid's mistake and allowing Sebastian to pull the tablecloth off in one smooth yank without disturbing the rest of the things on the table. I stare down at the polished wood in shock, still trying to comprehend how the hell he managed that so quickly. Even my superior sight had trouble catching it all. Damiano lowers his bowl directly after, just then noticing that the tablecloth had disappeared, bunched up in Sebastian's arms with the stain hidden from view. "Where did the tablecloth go?!"

"A speck of dirt," Ciel states smoothly, the first of us to recover," most unsightly. I had the cloth removed so it wouldn't distract us. Think nothing of it."

"Please accept my apologies," Sebastian says with a bow," do continue and enjoy the meal at your leisure." I poke my dinner with the chopsticks again, watching it jiggle slightly as Damiano lets out a loud laugh. Why is this man so theatrical?

"Lord Phantomhive, once again you have truly impressed me," Damiano says in his booming voice. "What an able butler you've acquired." I suppose that's one way to put it.

"Pay him no mind," Ciel shrugs," he only acts as befits one of my servants."

"My master is quite correct about that," Sebastian concurs. "You see, I am simply one hell of a butler." I give the little lord a knowing wink, taking another sip of water to wash the taste of meat out of my mouth. Ciel's false smile turns real for a moment when he meets my gaze, both of us understanding the double meaning in Sebastian's words. Sebastian bends down beside me as Damiano goes back to inhaling his food, the demon's breath hot on my neck. "Would you like to have some fun with our guest?" I give a subtle nod, cutting my dark red eyes at the Italian with an expression of disgust. "Pretend to be sick and get excused." Instantly, I press my hand against my head and let out a pathetic moan.

"Is something wrong, Princess?"

"I'm afraid I feel a bit ill," I inform the little lord," might I be excused?"

"Of course, Sebastian will escort you to your rooms." The butler wastes no time in helping me to my feet and back into the house, stopping in the room with a window that overlooks the dinner.

"Are we going to make him regret trying to take advantage of Ciel?"

"Oh yes," Sebastian nods, staring down at the Italian man. "Do you recall the rather morbid words from that game Damiano brought for Ciel?" I give another nod, moving my eyes to look at Ciel. He's so young to be playing this game of politics, but he's such a natural that I have no doubt that he sees it as another game to win. "Your job is simply to remind Damiano of them at opportune moments. You'll know what I mean when it's time, but you must stay out of his sight, preferably in a form so small that he wouldn't notice." My wings grow from my back, twitching when I flex them and sending pleasant shivers down my spine.

"I know just what you mean."

* * *

 

I follow Sebastian downstairs, sensing when he uses his magic to make himself invisible to any human's eye. Small as a fly, Damiano never notices when I enter the room he's in, settling on the desk just behind the telephone and listening to his side of the conversation as Sebastian makes his face appear in the doorway, too pale and featureless for Damiano to tell if it was the butler or Vincent Phantomhive's ghost returned from the dead. Sebastian disappears again before Damiano could get a closer look, the image setting the man on edge. "Never mind," he says into the phone, beginning to sweat. "The rest of the formalities are for you to deal with. No, it'll be easy. Please, he's only a child." My eyes narrow as I stare up at the human, old hate beginning to bubble to the surface. He hangs the phone up a few minutes later and I follow behind him as he heads up the stairs. He pauses in front of the large painting of Vincent and his wife, hanging on the wall along the stairs.

I use a touch of my own magic to make the featureless, pale face appear over Vincent's, nearly laughing when Damiano's fear levels rise and he rubs at his eyes. Using his moment of distraction, I make the face disappear again. "This is much too easy," I mumble to myself, voice too quiet for human ears to pick up.

"Impossible. I'm seeing things." Time for the next part of Sebastian's brilliant plan.  _You are bewitched by the eyes of the dead._  I make the thought echo in the man's head, watching with glee as he pauses again and his eyes widen. "No, that's ridiculous." He continues his way upstairs and I use a bit more magic to make the halls appear darker. He opens door after door, the manor working in my favor as Damiano loses his way and is unable to find the room he'd left Ciel in earlier. "This manor is like a giant maze." Hmm, and you're the rat that's lost in it. "I can't even find the drawing room."  _You are bewitched by the eyes of the dead_. Directly after that, a floorboard squeaks as I make a phantom appear down the hall with the same face from earlier. Damiano propels himself backwards with a shout. I follow him as he runs back the way he came, the urge to laugh growing harder to push away. 

 _You lose one turn_. I make sure the thoughts continue to bounce around in his head as he sprints down through the halls. Due to the lack of lighting and his not paying attention, Damiano falls headfirst down the stairs, one of his legs twisting at an odd angle as he lands at Mey-Rin's feet with a pained scream. Mey-Rin drops to his side to look over his injuries, years of training kicking in. "Sir," she calls worriedly. "Are you alright?" And then, upon spotting Damiano's ruined leg, she quickly stands and takes a step away. "His right leg.... It's twisted round. What happened to it?" Finny and Baldroy enter the scene then, the two of them trying to move the portrait I had used to scare Damiano earlier. 

"Hey, what's wrong," Baldo asks upon spotting the maid and guest. 

"Our guest, something's happened!" Damiano clutches at his leg, barely able to do more than grunt in pain until he looks at the portrait. I use my magic to make the face cover Vincent's again, taking pleasure when Damiano's eyes widen with fear once more after I make the face speak with Ciel's voice.  _And now you lose one leg in the Enchanted Forest_. He crawls away as fast as he can, dragging his bad leg behind him and ignoring Mey-Rin's pleas for him to remain sitting. As he crawls towards the back of the manor, he runs into my husband, looking up at the demon in fright.

"Surely you aren't leaving the manor yet, sir," Sebastian inquires and Damiano falls onto his back, beginning to shake hard from both fear and the struggle to support himself. "We haven't given you the full Phantomhive treatment yet." I grow into my full form, my wings shrinking until they are unnoticeable as I appear next to my husband and give the Italian a wicked grin that showed my pointed canines. 

"We've yet to have our dessert," I add, eyes glinting in the low light. Damiano starts crawling again, away from us and towards the kitchen. "Oh, look at that Seb. The poor man's lost his leg."

"Yes, and we all know that means he can only move half the number of spaces. Why not just relax a bit and make yourself at home?"

"I promise you'll never want to leave this place when we make you really comfortable." We follow behind the panicking man at a languid pace, being sure to keep quiet so he can hear the click of our shoes on the marble floors and we can hear the erratic beat of his heart. I smile when I hear him open the door to the oven, grinning up at my husband as we continue with our little lesson. Sebastian opens the doors of the kitchen, allowing me to go in first and use my magic to light the oven. Sebastian slides open the small hatch used to see if food is ready, only this time he uses it to see Damiano. 

"What an impatient guest we have, Adrianna. He couldn't even restrain himself until dessert was out of the oven." I slide the latch down, locking the doors seconds before he begins banging on them and screaming out in desperation. "Perhaps the Italians aren't familiar with our customs—there's plum pudding, mincemeat pie."

"So many dishes here in England that use the meat off fat little animals." With a laugh, I slide the hatch shut again, adding in the last line from the game.  _Your body is burned by the raging flames._

* * *

 

Ciel watches with satisfaction as Damiano limps down the drive and away from the manor, laughing when the man screams. I give a little smile of my own, playing the piano softly as Ciel fiddles with one of the pieces form his board game. "What an unattractive scream," Ciel states. "He's almost like a pig taken off to slaughter."

"He almost became just that, little lord," I grin," but Sebastian thought letting him live to spread the tale would be far more beneficial."

"He deserves everything the two of you did to him. First he sells the East Indian factory without telling me and then he dares to ask for more money. Did he think to retain my trust?" I don't look up from the keys, playing a familiar melody that my father often sang to my mother before he was severely hurt in the war. "I'm afraid when something's truly lost, one can never get it back again. What is that song you're playing, Adrianna?"

" _Deai ni iro wa nakute monokuro fukinukeru. Suzushii yubi temaneku mama ni...."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lyrics are from the opening song, I'm sorry if it's not quite right, but I was using the subtitles that show up on the screen. *Shrugs* Hope y'all liked this chap!


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